


Happily Ever After

by Two_Guns_And_A_Knife



Category: Stephanie Plum - Janet Evanovich
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-29
Updated: 2013-07-26
Packaged: 2017-11-13 03:19:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 13,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/498860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Two_Guns_And_A_Knife/pseuds/Two_Guns_And_A_Knife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Sequel to MAGIC. Ranger and Stephanie return from their honeymoon and start their life as husband and wife. And someone is determined to tear them apart. Theme Song: Gypsy by Ronan Hardiman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One:  MAGIC

**Chapter One**

**MAGIC**

He lies awake in the dark bedroom with an almost smile on his perfect lips. Once again his bride is lying on top of him breathing softly and drooling just a little bit. She's all warm and soft. And she smells so sweet. Very gently he tightens his arms around her and closes his eyes. He listens to the sound of the murmuring sea. He listens to the sound of the whispering breeze. He thinks of the day they first met. He thinks of the fear, worry and guilt in her eyes and the chilly rain the day her moron of a skip shot him in the leg. He thinks of the night she tackled him to her living room floor. He thinks of the first night they spent together. He thinks of the night he leaned against the door and watched her sleep in his bed. He thinks of the numb calmness he always felt whenever she went missing.

_She's safe now, and she's happy._ Once again he tells himself and feels contented.

He always wants to keep Stephanie safe. He always understands what Stephanie thinks and how she feels. He always knows when she's near. He always knows when she's in danger and needs his help. And he always knows everything. Everything. Maybe the stories he heard as a child are true. Maybe his mother's grandfather, the tall quiet man who came from a town near the Schwarzwald, was really a wizard. Maybe he does have magic in his blood. Or maybe he's just smart and a very good observer. Ranger's smile deepens as he grasps hold of Stephanie's hand and his finger tip finds her ring.

Tomorrow they will leave this island and return to Trenton. And yes, he knows they will be happy. Ever after.


	2. Chapter Two:  Bob Misses You

**Chapter Two**

**Bob Misses You**

_Magic. So tempting. Make a wish. Save your lost love. Get rid of your enemy..._

Joe Morelli wakes up with a start. For a brief moment he doesn't know where or who he is. He yawns, sniffs the air, lifts his hind leg to scratch himself, and then blinks in confusion and freezes in mid scratching. Reality rushes back to him and somehow makes him want to laugh and cry. He's now a dog, his big orange drooling dog Bob, as a matter of fact. But no one-not even his scary Grandma who everyone believes is a most powerful witch-seems to notice a thing. As if there's basically no difference between he and Bob.

He wants to sigh but instead lets out a whine. And what scares him the most is that he's getting used to being a dog. The food, the care, the attention, the love, the head patting and the belly rub. He actually likes his life as a pet dog.

_Being a beloved dog is way better than being a lonely cop who has just lost the woman he loves._

A sneaky little voice in Morelli's head whispers. He lets out a sigh, closes his eyes, tries to go back to sleep and finds that he can't. His basic instincts kick in. He's hungry. He needs to pee. He wants to go out to the small front yard to dig a couple holes and smell the early morning wind. He wants to chase a bird. He wants to wag his tail. He wants to jump at a butterfly or try to catch a ladybug. He wants to bark at the neighbor's cats. He wants to scare a squirrel. He wants to patrol his territory, sniff his trees and marks the boundaries.

He jumps unto Grandma Bella's bed, licks her face and barks happily. He's Bob Morelli, the ever so friendly and goofy beast. He has no worries or fears. He loves pizza, pasta and sub. He loves his yummy doggie treats. He's part Labrador, part Golden Retriever, and part mastiff.

And nope, he's no Trenton police detective...


	3. Chapter Three:  Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

**Chapter Three**

**Devil And The Deep Blue Sea**

Joe Morelli is a changed man.

There's no question about that. The good and kind people of Trenton try not to stare and discreetly think to themselves. He has somehow(almost magically)become unhairy over night. He's still movie star handsome though he drools nonstop and looks eerily adorable with his tongue hanging out all the time. And whoever runs into him in the street or the park has to fight hard to suppress the urge to pat him on the head and say, "Good boy!" as is he's a sweet friendly dog.

Geez. The honest and hardworking people of this beautiful city wince and cringe a little and secretly cross themselves. The old saying is true, after all. Love is a most dangerous and tricky thing. It comes and goes like a ninja at its will. And the loss of love is so devastating that it will destroy a heart and break a man in a blink. Just take a look at the poor Italian Stallion. Even his goofy orange dog was effected and wouldn't stop howling for a couple days till Angie And Bella brought him to the vet.

Poor, poor Joseph. The kind and decent people sigh and wipe away their tears. First Stephanie. And then Vinnie. A man can only stand just so much pain. What has he done so wrong to deserve this? Hopefully he will find someone who is just right for him. Hopefully they will live happily ever after like Shrek and his princess.

Hopefully everyone will be happy. Just like Ranger and Stephanie...


	4. Chapter Four:  Mirror Mirror

**Chapter Four**

**Mirror Mirror  
**

Stephanie wakes up when the plane is about to land and yawns. The both familiar and unfamiliar weight on her ring finger catches her attention. She becomes nervous and a bit uneasy. She's looking forward to starting a new life with Ranger, but now the fact that she has failed once in marriage feels too much like an unremovable stain all of a sudden. She's not a good cook or baker. She's never a great housekeeper. They are going to live in the Batcave(Yay!) and that means Ella won't be there to help her. And nope, there's no way she's going to let her tall dark handsome perfect muscular husband live on whatever food prepared by another woman(or takeouts, TV dinners, olive and peanut butter sandwiches and leftovers from her mother's dinner table). She wants to be able to cook something hot, healthy and delicious for her Batman once in a long, long while. She never likes feeling incapable. And she does have her pride, you know. She's now officially Mrs. Carlos Manoso. She won't allow anyone look at her dinner table, shake their head and say "Poor Ranger". She's Helen the Marvelous Chef and Great Pâtissière Plum's daughter, after all...

The red-eyed sorceress looks into the ancient crystal mirror and in boiling rage bares her fangs. This is not what she has planned for Stephanie Plum. The silly wild-haired blue-eyed woman is supposed to be with the bad-tempered selfish hairy Italian and marry him when she accidentally get herself pregnant and live a ordinary life full of endless fights and quarrels. She's not supposed to marry the great grandchild of the Wizard. The angry sorceress snaps her fingers and summons her servants. She'll find out whoever are behind this and kill them all. She's impatient and merciless. She's powerful and evil. And she always gets what she wants. She's going to make things right. She narrows her eyes as the tall dark man holds Stephanie Plum's hand to his lips and kisses it.

No! No! No! This is all wrong! This is not allowed! The sorceress hisses in resentment, clenches her fists and swears to herself. She'll make things right. She will tear them apart. She will send that woman to the place where she belongs. She'll make her become Stephanie Morelli.

For there will be no happily ever after for Stephanie Plum. Never!


	5. Chapter Five:  A Red Red Rose

**Chapter Five**

**A Red Red Rose**

The moment the red-eyed sorceress clenches her fists in fury and snarl, the tall dark silent Sentry tilts his head a fraction and almost smiles. He and his siblings are the guardians of MAGIC. And they know this bitter cruel ugly old creature well. She was born under the Lucky Star and has a slight trace of magic in her blood. But unfortunately she's neither bright or dark enough, and thus doesn't have the true strength and talent needed to achieve greatness and cleverness. And she's allergic to true love and happiness. The Sentry closes his shining gold eyes and feels the menace in the sorceress voice as she barks out commands to her foul servants. Around him his equally tall, powerful and ferocious siblings look into the silver mirror and silently smile. They are brave, loyal and invincible. They are always ready for war. And now once again they will see to it that Fate and Love prevail.

The fully-fenced 2-story 4-bedroom house is located in a small newly-developed upscale neighborhood 9 minutes' drive from the RangeMan building. Just like the serene 7-floor penthouse apartment, everything is sleek, simple, functional and tastefully designed. The well-equipped spotless kitchen is spacious and bright. The large German refrigerator is pack with fresh fruits, vegetables and cooked food. A vase of ruby red roses stands on the bedside table in the master bedroom. The king-size bed looks luxurious and comfortable. And outside in the living room on a table by the window, a chubby little hamster presses against the wall of his brand new hamster palace and waits in great excitement. He twitches his cute little tail happily and lets out a cheer as the heavy door opens.

Stephanie and Ranger have come home. And now the three of them are going to live happily ever after together...Rex rolls his eyes and gives himself a mental slap. With one or two or three or even four beautiful little babies, of course.


	6. Chapter Six: 50 Shades Of Green

**Chapter Six**

**50 Shades Of Green**

Bob the Dog has always been a happy and friendly dog. He was fixed at a very young age, and thus will always have a 5-month-old puppy's mentality. He likes pizzas, meatball subs, pastas, cupcakes, doughnuts, ice cream and real dog food. He loves the taste of wood furniture, smelly sneakers, unclean underwear and days-old socks. He's too playful to listen to orders. He is never trained to obey commands. He can still vaguely remember his mother's and siblings' scents and faces. He still has nightmares about the lonely, scary days and nights he spent in the dog pound. He doesn't know what happened to his long bushy tail. He misses Granny Bella and all her delicious doggie treats, sad little stories and Italian songs. He has great respect for the ever so calm and clever Doc the Duck. He, like a lot of dogs, doesn't always think straight, and still can't read, write, use a gun or drive a car. But now he has learned how to use an iPad. Bob smiles a happy smile. He loves his black iPad. And he's still thrilled that Doc actually patted him on the head and said, "Proud of you, Bob."

Bob doesn't know why, but sometimes he will wake up in the middle of his afternoon nap and doubt the meaning of his existence. He will then feel the urge and sense the longing. He wants to make contributions. He wants to make a difference. He wants to be like Jerry Lee. He wants to be like Lassie. He wants to be like Benji. He wants to be able to do something, anything. He's part Labrador, part Golden Retriever, and part mastiff. He has the strength. He has the power. He's not just a lazy uneducated pet dog who knows nothing but sleeping eating and pooping.

And now the chance has finally come to him.

Bob knows he's here for a reason. He's on a secret mission. He's brave and determined, and he can be really, really smart and fierce if he tries hard enough. He is a loyal dog. He will try all he can to protect and defend Stephanie. His loyalty will be his ultimate weapon. And that overweight snobby hamster can never call him a stupid drooling dog again. Ever!


	7. Chapter Seven:  Material Girl

**Chapter Seven**

**Material Girl**

The red-eyed sorceress's foul servants creep into this city in the dead of the night and silently move toward different directions. Like dark shadows they sneak into houses and apartments. They crawl into people's bedrooms and onto their beds. They whisper and murmur in people's ears. They slither into people's mind and invade their dreams. They roar and growl and chant and summon all kinds of coldest and scariest nightmares. They snigger and float out of people's mind just before dawn comes. They slowly disappear in the thin air but leave trails of angst and sorrow behind. They have done what they came here to do. Their scheming heartless Mistress will be very pleased. And maybe, maybe this time she will finally keep her word and award them...

The chosen people toss and turn and wake up from their nightmares when the first ray of sunlight finally arrives. They feel eerily tired and dazed. They get out of bed, get dressed, and immediately reach for their phones. They forget to brush their teeth. They skip their morning showers. They ignore their growling stomachs. They dial their phones and start to speak. They have to spread the rumours, the stories, the implications, the suggestions, the fabrications and the lies. They stare into emptiness. They feel numb and exhausted. They don't pay attention to their surroundings. They can't see or hear or feel a thing. They just keep on talking, and talking, and talking. They do as they were told in their nightmares. They have a lot of friends and families. They all love gossips. They are the sorceress's chosen tools. They are her senseless puppets.

_Stephanie Plum and Joe Morelli belong together.  
_

_Stephanie Plum and Joe Morelli are a match made in Heaven.  
_

_Stephanie Plum cheated on Joe Morelli and dumped him for a reason._

_Stephanie Plum is a shameless greedy woman.  
_

__Stephanie Plum _is nothing but a gold digger.___

_Stephanie Plum married Carlos Manoso not for love but for his money._

__Stephanie Plum will leave Carlos Manoso when she sucks him dry.  
__

__Stephanie Plum will then go back to Joe Morelli.  
__

__Stephanie__ _ _Plum__ _ _will give birth to half a dozen cute adorable little Cupcakes.  
__

____Stephanie__ _ _Morelli__ _ _and Joe Morelli will live happily ever after.____

________Stephanie__ _ _Morelli__ _ _and Joe Morelli____ belong to each other.  
____

________Stephanie__ _ _Morelli__ _ _will always, always love Joe Morelli because he is her first.  
________

_________No woman can ever forget_ her first.  
________

________Ever.  
________

Vicious rumours and venomous lies fly through the city. The red-eyed sorceress laughs her evil laughter. Love is no match to doubts and jealousy. Soon her plan will work. Soon Stephanie Manoso and her husband will be torn apart. Soon! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
________


	8. Chapter Eight:  Scary, Scary Women

**Chapter Eight**

**Scary, Scary Women**

Valerie Kloughn lets out a loud and not so polite snort and the whispering around her abruptly stops. She narrows her eyes and stares coldly at every single one of the stunned and blushing women inside the bakery. They are of all ages and backgrounds, and she knows them all. She has always been nice and pleasant to them for she, just like her mother, firmly believes it's essential to be friendly to one's acquaintances and neighbors no matter how rude and nosy they are. It's not her habit to stand on the moral high ground and look down on people. She knows perfectly well that the people of this city can't live without gossips and rumours. She herself loves gossips and rumours, mind you, but she does have her limits. It's one thing to exaggerate and overstate. It's totally another to bad mouth and slander. And she is, after all, Stephanie's elder sister. She won't tolerate people telling and spreading vicious lies about Stephanie. Even if she sometimes thinks her sister is more than a little different and strange and maybe a bit crazy.

She never ever understands what other people see in Joe Morelli. Yes, she admits Morelli is indeed very good-looking and has a really nice body. But she never feels comfortable around him or finds him attractive. He knew how to molest little girls when he was only 8 for God's sake. At the age of 13(or is it 12?), he started sweet-talking girls out of their panties and bragging about it all over town. She almost died of shame and shock when she learned that Stephanie had twice fallen victim to Joe Morelli's serpent tongue. TWICE! Valerie feels the now familiar anger and frustration boiling up inside her. She herself has always remembered her mother's warning and was always very careful around boys. Now she's the mother of 4 lovely little girls. She constantly give her two elder daughters warnings and keeps her watchful eyes wide open all the time. And the mere thought of the words "child molester" and "sex predator" makes her sick and nauseous. There's nothing sweet or innocent about a 8-year-old boy fingering a 6-year-old girl. There's nothing cute or romantic about an 18-year-old young man taking a 16-year-old girl's virginity and then writing about it on public bathroom walls. Such behaviors are wrong and disturbing and disgusting. No woman or girl should be treated this way. No mother or elder sister will want her child or younger sister to be treated this way.

**_So why should Stephanie belong with the man who has taken advantage of her sexually when she was but a stupid little girl?_**

**_Why should Stephanie leave her tall dark handsome sexy caring husband who helps and protects and loves her for the man who molested and humiliated her just because that jerk is her first?_**

**_What's so wrong with all these stupid women?_**

**_Do they not have brains or common sense?_**

**_What the Hell do they see in Joe Morelli?_**

**_How can any sane woman buy that "He's a changed man" crap and fall for a man who's as furry and horny as a chimp?  
_**

**_All he ever has is a handsome face and a wandering dick, for Christ's sake.  
_**

Valerie Kloughn snaps from her thoughts and blinks upon hearing the gasp. She frowns slightly as all the gossiping women hurry out of the door of the bakery with thinned lips and angry glances and widens her eyes as realization slowly dawns. She lets out a sigh and turns to the snickering woman—who happens to be one of her highschool girl friends—behind the doughnut counter.

"I said that out loud, didn't I?" Valerie puts a hand over her twitching eyes.

"Oh yeah, loud and clear" Her friend giggles like a teenage girl.

The tall dark silent Sentry smiles as the red-eyed sorceress's evil spell quickly dissolves into nothing around the city of Trenton. Valerie Plum Kloughn does have more in common with her trouble maker of a younger sister than she knows.


	9. Chapter Nine:  Awakening

**Chapter Nine**

**Awakening**

_Well, it's actually none of our business._ The honest and hard-working people of the city suddenly blink, frown, and start to think.

_Valerie Klough is right._

_Why should Stephanie belong with _Joe Morelli?__

_Why do we care so much about Joe's happiness?_

_Why can't we just let go and step aside now that Stephanie has made her choice?_

_She and Ranger do look perfect together._

_And we all know that Joe is, well, after all, a Morelli._

_None of the Morelli women has ever obtained happiness._

__Why should Stephanie be the only exception_?_

__Haven't we learned enough from all the arm-flapping, yelling, and the notorious never-ending on-again-off-again twisted abnormal unhealthy relationship?__

__Let's just keep our mouths shut and hearts open for once and be truly happy for Stephanie.__

__And wish Joe all the luck on his journey to _find the right Cupcake_.__

All is fair in love and war. There's no point complaining, really. And let's be honest, who wouldn't want to have a son-in-law like Ranger? He's tall, dark, handsome, capable, and polite, and he has his own company. You are going to have healthy, beautiful grandbabies, and your daughter will be happy, safe, and rich. What more can parents ask for their 30-something divorced child who's too good at blowing up things? So the kind, nice, and practical people of Trenton give their heads a firm nod and smile a happy smile, then move on with their everyday lives.

The ancient crystal mirror shatters into a million pieces. The red-eyed sorceress's foul servants scream in terror and tremble in pain. Their Mistress's rage is ferocious and cruel. One by one they get tortured and demolished. But the red-eyed sorceress's fury is not yet spent. She wants to cause chaos and hurt. She swears to alter the happy ending for Stephanie Plum. With hatred and contempt she thinks of all the fairy tale princesses who received help from Fairy Godmothers and Magical Beings. Snow White. Cinderella. Sleeping Beauty. Rapunzel. The hideously stupid girls who kept making incredibly wrong choices and terribly foolish mistakes. None of them truly deserved a Happily Ever After. None of them were truly worthy of their princes' love. The red-eyed sorceress is not powerful enough to change the past, but she's evil and treacherous enough to ruin Stephanie's life. Then she can finally reach out her claws to grab hold of the Wizard's great grandchild and make him hers.

And together they shall rule the Magic Land, as Queen and King...


	10. Chapter Ten:  A Prophecy?

**Chapter Ten  
**

**A Prophecy?**

The red-eyed sorceress keeps on chanting as she cuts her her wrist and uses the blood to complete the evil and powerful summoning spell. In a blink of an eye the pair of her most trusted and servants appear in the blood-red mist. The hairy blonde giant of a man goes down on his knee and bows, while the pale handsome black-haired man stands there staring at the sorceress with cold unblinking eyes. The order she gives them is simple and straightforward: tear Stephanie Plum and the great grandchild of the Wizard apart no matter what.

The two magical men disappear in the mist without a sound. The sorceress breathes with difficulty as she seals her wound. This is her last resort. Casting this spell has cost her her a lot of power. It will take her up to 13 months to return to her normal form and regain her power. And controlling both her servants at the same time will be a tricky task. Now that the ancient crystal mirror is broken, she had no choice but to use the Prying Eye spell to spy on the stupid worthless hairy man. But somehow all she could see was a blurred mixture of raging emotions, confusion, and peaceful happiness. Maybe the loss of love has made him hollow and driven him mad. She had hoped to use him as a pawn to get to Stephanie Plum. Jealousy and despair are two of the most powerful weapons of all time. His reckless nature and single-mindedness would be of great help. And he's always so good at manipulating her guilt. But since both his brain and soul are totally messed up now, she has to rely solely on herself. And doing all the work and minding all the trifles and details all alone have begun to drain her power...

In the tidy, spotless living room of Joe Morelli's nice cozy 2-story house, Doc the Duck and Sean the Sheep blow out a long held breath. Together they have successfully blocked the evil witch's foul magic. Bob the Dog is busy playing a game on his iPad in Joe's Morelli couch. Mr. Joseph A. Morelli is snoring like a train while dreaming of pizza, meatball sub, and baseball games in Grandma Bella's arms. The witch is not clever enough to see through their Magic Screen. But bigger and more vicious threats are heading this way. And they are aiming at Stephanie. The two Magical Beings close their eyes and sense the vibes in the air. They nod their heads and smile. The Guardians are coming this way, too.

Stephanie Manoso floats happily in her dream and suddenly hears voices. Sweet little voices. Laughing. Giggling. Talking. Screaming. Yelling. In both English and Spanish. She turns around, widens her eyes, and sees those beautiful dark brown eyes. Serious little faces. Little boys. All four of them. Looking at her. Smiling. Speaking. Crying. Frowning. The three older ones have silky smooth straight almost black hair. The youngest one looks so cute in wild wavy curls. She reaches out a hand, trying to wipe away his crystal tears, and wakes up with her hand on Ranger's face. She smiles happily as Ranger gathers her into his arms with his eyes closed. Their babies. She has just dreamed of their babies. All four of them...

 **FOUR?** She starts to hyperventilate. **FOUR?** **  
**

"Babe?" Ranger opens his eyes and places his large, warm hand on the back of her neck. "Deep breath." **  
**

Stephanie wraps her arm tightly around him and slowly calms down. Her heart is still thumping a little bit fast. Her eyes are still as wild and wide as a startled deer's. _It's just a dream_. She keeps telling herself. _Just a dream...Four little boys? Nah, it's just a dream...Just a dream..._


	11. Chapter 11: The Candy House

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Candy House**

No one can be sure when _The Old Cupcake Place_ opened on this street. It seems that the bakery and café simply appears out of nowhere overnight, and nobody knows what happened to the old bookstore that was originally there. One by one people push the door open and walk in out of curiosity. The decoration is fancy. The staffs are all young, polite and good-looking. The cupcakes are reasonably priced and mouth-wateringly delicious. The coffee and tea here are really, really good. And the huge blonde owner's wide smile is most friendly and charming. Within 3 days _The Old Cupcake Place_ becomes a popular spot for the locals. Every kids wants to have cupcakes for breakfast and lunch. Every mom wants to get her hands on those buy-1-get-1-free Strawberry Delight and Cherry Cheesecake cupcakes before they are sold out. Even the officers from TPD have decided to replace their doughnuts with the cupcakes here. Everybody loves their cupcakes. Only a rare few of the customers notice that there's something odd and foreboding about this place. And Helen Plum happens to be one of them.

Helen doesn't finish her coffee and the two cupcakes. The texture and moisture of the cupcakes are next to perfect, Helen admits, and they are neither too sweet nor too airy. But the colors are too bright. The fragrance is too strong. And somehow they just don't taste right. Besides, the docile and almost numb smile on the staff's faces makes her feel uncomfortable and uneasy, while the somewhat cold and strange gleam in the owner's sharp blue eyes sends chills down her spine every time he turns to smile at her. So she gives her coupons to her friends and leaves the bakery empty-handed. She will stop on the way home at one of her trusted bakeries and get something for Frank and her mother. There's no way she's going to feed her family with something imperfect and probably unhealthy.

William "D" Northman looks out of the window of his bakery as Helen Plum drives away. He feels surprised and disappointed that the woman didn't fall for his magical cupcakes. But he's not worried. His magic will find a way to get to Stephanie Plum. Sooner or later one the townspeople will offer her a free cupcake. One tiny bite and she will be dead. His serpent-like smile deepens. His Mistress, the Great Sorceress, will be pleased. And he will be free to go back to his cave on top of the Swiss mountain to enjoy the youthful bodies of his young polite pretty obedient slaves.


	12. Chapter Twelve:  Evil Eye

**Chapter Twelve**

**Evil Eye  
**

The pale handsome black-haired man stands under the bright Miami morning sun gazing the family of 5 and almost smiles. Yes, it will be easy. Maybe so easy that it's no fun at all. Just a little intimidation and show of power, and then the fear he triggers will do the job. Will the pinkish-white skinned mother scream when he leaves his signature eye-shaped burn mark on her arm? Will her 2 younger children cry and cringe in terror when their mother pass out and drop to the ground? The man named Erich thinks to himself and licks his lips. He loves it when women scream and faint from the shock and pain he gave them. He often laughs when men's eyes bulge and mouths fall open the brief moment before they die in his hand. How will the sandy-blonde haired father react then? He wonders. People's first instinct is to protect their own flesh and blood no matter the cost. No one with sanity will sacrifice their children for someone else's brat. Besides, every man is a coward deep down inside. Once they realize they are facing an invincible unbeatable opponent, they will do everything to save their own lives. Ron Martine may be a loving adopted father, but there's no way he will refuse to surrender the dark-brown eyed and caramel-skinned girl to Erich. For there's no such thing as unconditional love. Everything comes with a price. And when the price becomes too high, people will automatically make right decisions and smart choices. This is the way of life. Only the smart and clever ones get to survive and thrive.

Erich laughs under his cinnamon and butterscotch scented breath. Maybe he will emphasize his point by burning the little boy's arm in front of Ron Martine's eyes. After all, all fathers favor their sons. What kind of father won't break down and give in when their beloved child is terrified and suffering great pain? Yes, his plan is perfect and lots of fun. Everyone's attention is on the girl. Everyone is trying their best to protect her from suspicious strangers. When they finally know that there is a traitor among them, it will be too late. And once he has Julie Martine in his hand, he will use her as bait to trap and then kill her father. Erich's handsome face contorts with disgust and anger. He shouldn't have trusted such an important task to Edward Scrog, the delusional imbecile. This time he will kill Carlos Manoso once and for all. He will go back to the red-eyed sorceress and present her with Manoso's severed head on a silver plate. He will then use all his power to burn a hole in her heart, put an end to her unreasonably long and miserable life, and claim her magic as his own. He will be nobody's servant. He will become the ruler of the Magic Land. He will—

Erich Wulfsberg looks down at the silver blade protruding from his chest. Very slowly he turns around and comes face to face with the most beautiful creature he has ever seen in his 201 years of life. Raven black hair. Forest green eyes. Blood red lips. Ivory porcelain-like skin. Beautiful. Soundless. Powerful. Ferocious. The Guardians. He suddenly realizes. He thought they only existed in myth. He thought the Pact between the Wizard and the Magical Beings wasn't real. How wrong was he. What a fool he has been. His power drains. His heart stops. His body dissolves into thousands of shades of murky dense darkness. He ceases to exist.

Julie Martines looks up from her breakfast as a strange sensation hits her in the back of her neck. All of a sudden she feels warm and safe. All of a sudden she feels loved and protected. All of a sudden she thinks of her father. The moment he opened his eyes and looked at her in the hospital. The moment he wrapped her in his arms and hugged her briefly before he left that following Christmas Eve. Julie smiles at her parents and siblings and goes back to her passion fruit juice and mango muffin. She's glad that now Ranger's no longer alone.

She's also glad that she told him "I love you, Daddy" that cool December evening.


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Brave

**Chapter Thirteen  
**

**Brave  
**

There was nothing special about the weather the day Stephanie Plum did the bravest thing she has ever done in her life.

She woke up around 8, took a quick shower, and went to her parents' to mooch a free breakfast. Business had been slow for the last couple weeks. She was low on money. She knew her mother always had some left over in the refrigerator, and maybe she could even take a huge chunk of cake home with her if she was lucky. Her mother and Grandma Mazur were talking and laughing about something when she let herself in. Stephanie sat down at the table, gobbled down several pancakes, and started really paying attention to the conversation. Someone's son was getting married. Someone's daughter had just given birth to yet another baby. Someone and her third husband went to Hawaii for honeymoon. Someone died last week and there would probably be an open casket viewing. Angie and Mary Alice were doing great in school. Hopefully Valerie wouldn't get pregnant again anytime soon. All of a sudden Stephanie lost her appetite and felt sad and lonely. She put down her half empty coffee mug and stared into nothing. She would be 35 this coming December. She didn't have a house of her own. She had no food in her kitchen. She was driving yet another sleek Rangeman car. She was currently in the off stage of her unhealthy off-and-on relationship with Morelli. And now thinking of Ranger not only made her hot and bothered, but also made her heart contract with longings and something much, much more powerful. And she knew that something was spelled beginning with "l".

Stephanie tried not to sigh. Yes, she loved Ranger. But she was afraid to tell him. He was always so rational and so calm. He had chosen to step aside and let another man become his daughter's father. For years he had been bleeding blood and money to help Stephanie out and keep her safe. Just because "It's the right thing to do, babe". And what if one day he decided it was the right thing to walk out of her life and move on without her? He'd read her mind that day and let her go back to Morelli. He'd known she'd needed to repair her relationship with Morelli. Could she survive without him? Could she accept his decision with grace and ease? Could she live with herself if she just stood there and watched him leave? Did she want to spend the rest of her life without him, her friend, her mentor, her Batman, her Man of Mystery?

"Stephanie? Are you alright?" Her mother's worried voice shook her out of her foreboding gloomy thoughts. "What happened? Are you feeling ill? Why are you crying? Is there something wrong?"

Stephanie raised her hand to her face, felt the wetness of her tears and widened her eyes. She had no idea she'd been crying silently. She looked into her mother's eyes and saw her worries and concern. "No, I'm fine." She wiped away her tears with a napkin and blew her nose. "Something must have gotten into my eyes." She finally said in a shaky voice. Her mother looked unconvinced. Grandma raised her brows but said not a word. "I've got to go."

She stood up and quickly left, pineapple upside down cake, leftover pot roast and mashed potatoes forgotten. She got in her car, started the engine, and drove away with no specific destination in mind. No. She was lying. She knew crystal clear where she wanted to go. She just didn't have the courage to admit it. She just wasn't brave enough to go after what she really wanted. She drove and drove and drove. She didn't really know what she was thinking. She could sense her fear, her worries, and uncertainty. She stopped the car and looked across the street. The familiar 7-floored building was right there. She sat behind the wheel watching. She knew he was inside his 5th-floor office. She always loved his serene penthouse apartment. She always loved his heavenly king size bed. She always loved his shower gel. She always loved his almost smile. She always loved his beautiful eyes. She always loved the smoothness of his skin. She always loved the touch of his soft perfect lips. She always...always loved him. _Carpe Diem. Take the risk. Live your life. Grasp the chance. Seize the day. Life is too short and too precious to live in regret or dream away._ Her cell phone rang. She fished it out of her messy bag. She didn't looked at the screen. She didn't need to. _  
_

"Babe," Ranger smiled.

She took a breath. She closed her eyes. She listened to her heartbeat. She felt her sad loneliness. "Will you marry me?" She timidly asked. She believed she still had 1 or 2 bullets somewhere in a drawer. She could always put an end to her misery should she have the courage. Yes, she knew what his answer would be. But she needed to ask. She needed to know. She couldn't just sit around and do nothing. Not any more...And his silence was killing her...

"Sure." He casually said.

"Huh?" She opened her eyes and, in sudden confusion, frowned. The weather was not too hot or too cold. The wind was not too strong or too light. And somehow she felt like she had just woken up in Alice's Wonderland. Everything was so unreal. Someone unlocked and opened the passenger door and got inside. She turned to look at him. Could she trust her ear? Did he mean what he said? Was this but a dream? Life was so complicated. She was so confused. He cupped her face in one large hand and kissed her on the lips. He smelled like heaven. His kiss was pure magic. He held her captive with his gaze and then raised his brow a tiny little fraction.

"Where's my ring?"

She gaped.

He laughed.

And 5 weeks later, they got married.


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Run, Silver, Run!

**Run, Silver, Run!**

Stephanie is going insane. Everywhere she goes, everyone asks her if she wants to have a cupcake. They don't even say hello or ask her how she is. They just hold out the cupcakes with a huge smile on their faces: "Oh you totally have to try it, Stephanie! It's super delicious, I swear!" Stephanie finds it impossible to look away. Cupcakes. Sweet fluffy yummy airy cupcakes. Perfectly baked and masterfully decorated cupcakes. All the beautiful colors makes her dizzy. All the heavenly scents make her mouth watering. Strawberry Delight. Cherry Cheesecake. Choc Tiramisu. Honey Carrot. Peanut Butter Caramel. Mixed Berry Swirl. And Ultimate Vanilla. How can life be so unfair? Why does she have to be caught in such a difficult place? She so wants to take the cupcakes from her friends' hands, take a hearty bite and dreamily moan. She so wants to taste the fluffy sweetness and let the sugary goodness serf in her veins. But she has given Ranger her word.

She has promised Ranger she will quit junk food and eat healthy. And she would rather die than break her promise to the man she loves. Now that they are married, she wants to spend the rest of her life in happiness and grow old with him. She wants to walk hand in hand with Ranger again on that moonlit beach. She wants to wake up in his arms every day. She wants to look into his eyes and smiles a tired happy smile after giving birth to their first child. She knows Ranger is the kind of man—just like Johnny Depp, George Clooney and Agent Gibbs—who will look even cuter when older even tough he says he doesn't do cute. She doesn't want to die an early death because of diabetes or clogged veins. She doesn't want her untimely death to tear them apart. She wants to start learning Cuban cuisine from their wonderful housekeeper Maria Elena. She has yet to ask Grandma for the recipe of the Hungarian style mashed potatoes. She wants to stop being Ranger's burden and learn to take good care of herself, of him, and of their children. She wants to grow up and act like an adult. She wants to be a strong smart woman—

But the black currant buttercream cupcake in Lula's hand looks so, so yummy...The beautiful creamy purple face smiles brightly at her and whispers her name...The fruity delicate scent seductively dances around her in the air...She can already sense its tender moist perfectness...Stephanie's eyes glaze over. She takes a small wobbly step forward. Like in slow motion she reaches out a hand. Her fingertip is this close to the chic wrapper. Just a bite. Just a tiny little bite...

Outside on the street a car screeches to a stop. Like a tornado a tall dark movie star handsome but not hairy man barges in the bonds office and throws himself forward. White teeth flash. A wide-open mouth closes up. The black currant buttercream cupcake disappears. A wild-eyed Joe Morelli chews vigorously, swallows, and moves on to devour all the remaining cupcakes in the boxes and in Connie's hand. Vinnie sticks his head out of his office with his iPhone to his ear. Stephanie, Connie, and Lula gawk, gape, and stare. Joe Morelli licks the boxes and cupcake wrappers clean and lets out a burp. He turns to look at Stephanie and smiles with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

"Be happy, Stephanie." Joe Morelli shyly says and happily burps. He then walks out of the door, gets back into his car and drives away.

All of a sudden Stephanie's obsession with cupcakes melts away. The colors were way too bright, and the fragrance was way too strong to be natural. She looks at the empty pastry boxes and furrows her brows. She feels both surprised and relieved. She has known Joe almost all her life and she knows him well. She has been a little worried what his reaction would be when they met again. He had tried everything and anything to stop her from marrying Ranger. The last time she saw him, he dropped down onto both knees and asked her to marry him in front of everyone inside Pino's. And she still remembers the anger/sadness/frustration in his eyes when she turned him down. The last thing she wants is for Joe to hold grudges and cause Ranger trouble. He's indeed a handsome man, she has to admit. But never has he looked so cute and adorable with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. What happened to all the hair on his wrists and forearms and his trademark 5 o'clock shadow? Where the heck did they go? And why did she feel the compelling urge to pat him on the head and say "Good boy, Bob, good boy"?

Life is full of wonders. Maybe Joe found God or something while she and Ranger were on their honeymoon. Stephanie quickly decides as her stomach groans. "Who want a whole wheat bagel? My treat." She sees the disbelieving look on Connie's and Lula's faces and rolls her eyes. "I will throw in a jar of peanut butter and a large caramel mocha macchiato." _Low fat peanut butter and sugar-free macchiato._ She silently adds as her friends cheer. _  
_


	15. Glamour

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Glamour**

William "D" Northman enjoys being evil.

Like any twisted talented good-looking magical man, he never ever doubts his power or intelligence. He knows what he's capable of. He has absolute faith in himself. He's extremely sly and smart. He's irresistibly charming and charismatic. He plays by his own rules. He follows his desires and lust. He has no moral obligations. He has no soul. He has no heart. He loves playing his evil little tricks. He loves toying with his preys and victims. He enjoys destroying their innocence. He enjoys the taste of their pain and fear. His smooth blonde hair and shining blue eyes are his most powerful weapons. They all love his slight Swiss accent. They all fall for his warm genuine smile. Who can say no to a tall strong handsome blonde stranger? Who can resist the urge to run a exploring hand through his dense chest hair? They never protest when he pops up inside their small apartments. They never protest when he climb into their beds. They forget he's a complete stranger. They forget they do not know him. Life is tough. Reality is cruel. They all believe life can be a fairy tale. They are all waiting for a prince in shining armour. They can't wait to run away from the painful truth. They can't wait to embrace the beautiful lies. They all dwell in the Land of Denial. And that makes them vulnerable and easy targets for predators like him. Once they fall into his claws, there's no salvation. Once he grows tired of them, he disposes of them and sets out to find new ones. He can always find new ones. He's not accustomed to failures. He's really good at what he does. He seldom disappoints his Mistress. But right now, he's quickly losing his patience.

Stephanie Plum is still alive.

This is supposed to be a simple task: one bite of his magical cupcake and she will be dead. Everywhere she goes, people will offer her cupcakes. Yummy delicious perfectly baked cupcakes. Sweet fluffy airy beautiful cupcakes. She is addicted to anything sweet. She doesn't have the willpower to say no. But so far none of his devilish plans has worked, and he has no idea what went wrong. It frustrates the Hell out of him. It angers him. It makes him mad. He has tried multiple times to get in touch with his twin brother Erich. But as usual his willful arrogant younger half-brother ignored his calls. Erich went to Miami to lure the Wizard's great grandchild away from Stephanie Plum. Apparently, he fails his task. The man called Ranger is always by the Plum woman's side, and that makes his task more challenging.

But that's OK, he decides. He always loves the thrill of hunting, of stalking his preys. He will find a way. He will distract the tall dark man. He will catch her when she's all alone. He will lure her with his charm. He will present her with the most beautiful, most tasty cupcake in the world. Colorful sprinkles. Fluffy rich frosting. Stylish wrapper. He will persuade her to take a bite. One tiny single bite. And then she will die. He will look into her lifeless eyes and laugh. He will then go straight to his Mistress to deliver the news. He will bow his head modestly while she smiles. He always, always, loves her smile. He also loves her fierce red eyes, and her pale thin angular face. She is the sole meaning of his life. She is everything to him. She is all he has. She saved him and Erich when they were 2 desperate, starving, dying little boys. She gave them life. She gave them power. He is forever grateful to her. He will always be her loyal servant. Though sometimes, he does love to handle things his own way, against her orders.

He stands up from his chair and slowly walks toward  _The Old Cupcake Place's_ modern, bright kitchen. Yes, he knows women well, and he has done his homework. There's one thing Stephanie Plum can not resist. There's one thing Stephanie Plum can't turn away from. Luckily, he knows what that is. He starts chanting while mixing all the ingredients. Seemingly harmless food can be poisonous. Sweet cherished memory can be fatal. Just one look and she will be hooked. Just one bite and she will be dead. And the whole Magic Land will belong to his Mistress, the red-eyed sorceress, the Wicked Witch of the Forever Waste Land.

And True Love shall cease to exist.

 


	16. Amour

**Amour**

The slender old man sits down on the bench and starts enjoying his lunch. The park is surprisingly quiet at this time of day, and somehow the air is not as bad as usual. He takes a small bite of his muffaletta. His phone buzzes. He talks to his elder daughter for a little while. He lost his dear wife 2 years ago. He married late. All his grandchildren are still little. His children can't stop worrying about him even if he keeps promising he will look after himself. He's never a greedy man. He never asks much of life. He has good friends and good neighbors. He's in good health. His bakery is in good hands(He and his wife raised their children right). He's very grateful for his happiness. He will always loves his wife. But yes, he does have regrets.

He sometimes thinks of the beautiful bright-eyed girl, his first love. He still remembers her smile. He still remembers her tears. He sometimes wonders if life would be different had they eloped and started a family together elsewhere. What happened can not be changed. She's a part of his past. He never ever whispers her name again. It was nobody's fault. He was a young baker back then. He didn't have a house of his own. He didn't have money in the bank. He didn't have families here. He couldn't blame her parents for wanting her to have the best. He couldn't blame her for respecting her parents' wishes. He remained single for many many years. Till he met Anna and fell in love again. He misses Anna every day. But from time to time he still thinks of Bella. He heard her husband was a cruel inconsiderate man. He wishes(and prays and hopes) she is happy. He needs her to be happy. He has given his heart to Anna, but a tiny part of his soul will always belong to Bella Inzaghi. They were both so young. They were both dreamers. They were torn apart by fate. And now he's an old old man who can't wait to join his beloved wife in heaven above. Giuseppe Marcello lets out a sigh and finishes his iced coffee. He stands up from the bench and turns his head to look as a big orange drooling dog drags a tiny old woman around the corner of the paved path.

"Giuseppe, slow down. Giuseppe!" The old woman says in a breathless berating tone. The dog reluctantly stops and begins to whine.

"Bella?" Giuseppe Marcello can hardly believe his eyes. He recognizes that voice even after all these years. He has pictured Bella's face in his mind a million times, but he has never expected to see such a thin, sorrowful face. And her once beautiful eyes are no longer bright. Life hasn't been kind to Bella, it seems. He has heard some rumours over the years, but he always refused to believe them. It wouldn't be fair if he was happy and she wasn't, he reasoned. No. No. No. Maybe he made a careless mistake. He has to be sure. "Bella Inzaghi?"

Grandma Bella turns to frown at the neatly dressed old man, still trying to catch her breath. It's such a beautiful day. She thought taking Bob to the park for a walk would be a good idea. And the silly playful dog wouldn't stop trying to chase birds and squirrels. He almost pulled her arm out of her socket. She looks at the old man in confusion for a long minute, and then her face turns pale. Giuseppe Marcello, the Sicilian baker, the man in her dreams, the man she truly loves, is standing right in front of her eyes. She heard he started his own bakery. She heard he got married. She heard his wife was kind and beautiful. She heard he's very happy. He looks good. He looks as handsome as ever. But now she's an old woman dressed all in black. "Giuseppe?" She whispers, her voice shaking. Tears well in her eyes. How time flies.

"Bella." Slowly and gently Giuseppe takes hold of Bella's trembling hands. They stand there staring into each other's eyes. Both of them are at a loss of word. Both of them try to smile. Both of them try not to cry.

The panting dog looks between the two of them, wiggles his tail, and tilts his head. He likes this old man. The old man smells of butter, caramel, good coffee, and fresh homemade jam; and the old man looks kind. The old man seems to be totally different from Grandpa Antonio. The dog doesn't remember his Grandpa Antonio. He has heard a lot about Grandpa Antonio. Everybody was scared of Grandpa Antonio. Grandpa Antonio was always angry. Grandpa Antonio was always drunk. Grandpa Antonio was a mean nasty drunkard. Grandpa Antonio used to slap Grandma Bella when he came home drunk. Grandpa Antonio used to beat the crap out of his own kids when he came home drunk. Everybody felt relieved instead of sad when Grandpa Antonio died of a heart attack. No one shed a tear. But it didn't take long for his father to start behaving like Grandpa Antonio. His father came home drunk. His father slapped his mother around. His father beat the crap out of his brother and himself. And Grandma Bella just sat aside and silently cried. Everybody was relieved instead of sad when his father died. Grandma Bella was the only one who cried. His mother quietly sat there staring into nothing. She didn't even shed a tear. The bruise on her face was still there, mocking them, mocking the whole indifferent world, mocking his dead abusive father. And sometimes, when in the heat of the fight, he was tempted to slap Stephanie to make her shut up. So tempted. And that scared the crap out of him. He always thought he wasn't like his father. He always thought he had broken the family curse. He always thought he was different. He always thought he was better, way better, much much better than his grandfather, father, uncles, brother, and cousins. He's the Italian Stallion. He's the boy with the lizard tongue. He's Stephanie's first. He's many many girls' first. He's good at writing dirty poems on men's bathroom walls. And he's very proud of himself.

Stephanie. Cupcake. Pizza. Ice cream. Pino's. Diamond ring. The dog frowns in confusion and forgets to pant. Wedding. He dropped down onto both knees and pleaded. The look in Stephanie's blue blue eyes. "Joe, I'm sorry." She's in love Ranger. She has been in love with Ranger for ages.  _Solution to Save Lost Love_.  _Take Your Enemy's Place At The Altar._  Rex the hamster. Kitty the mysterious cat. Sean the sheep.  _This is your Lucky Day, Mr. Detective._ He made his choice. He woke up...he woke up...he woke up...Cupcake. His Cupcake. He has to find his Cupcake. He has to find his Cupcake and make her his.

Giuseppe Marcello and Bella Morelli jump a little as the big grange dog suddenly starts howling. They watch on stunned as the dog first runs around them in circles like crazy and then runs off toward the trees. Bella calls after the dog but the demented beast doesn't stop. She is on the verge of panic when her favorite grandson's beloved pet disappears from her view. "Don't worry, Bella," Giuseppe assures her as he wipes away her tears and wraps her in his arms, "we will find him and bring him home."

The Guardians look at the pair of star crossed lovers in the shadow of the sun. And in the farthest corner of Forever Waste Land, the inner wall of the red-eyed sorceress's foreboding castle silently cracks like a spider web.

 


	17. Fate

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Fate**

It wasn't wasn't wasn't his fault. He was just just just a curious boy. He was young, so young. He was innocent, really really innocent. He just wanted to grow up. He just wanted to explore the unknown. He just wanted wanted wanted to know. The secret of life. The reason why girls giggled and blushed. He wanted to be like his brother and cousins. He wanted wanted wanted to know it all. And Stephanie's smile was so so sweet. Her hair looked so so soft. She was just like a cupcake. He loved cupcakes. Sweet, fluffy cupcakes. So delicious. So beautiful. Cupcakes. Cupcake. Stephanie. His Cupcake. Light, airy buttercream frosting. Colorful sprinkles. Moist texture. Yum. Yum. Yum.

The big orange dog gallops forward. The unhappy soul trapped inside the furry body longs for everything he unfortunately lost. The streets blur past him. The wind whirls by his ears. He has zero interest in the outside world. He only has one precious goal. He follows the whispers of his heart and lets his instincts take over. He deserves happiness. He deserves another chance. It wasn't wasn't wasn't his fault. He has done nothing nothing nothing wrong. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. His nose twitches. His eyes brighten. Ah, the familiar scent of beautiful summer. The delicate taste of the golden fruit. The sweet brightness of the red red cherries. Magical. Enchanting. And oh so near.

William "D" Northman casts the final spell. Every fiber of the reality existing within the spacious professional baking kitchen shakes and vibrates. Rich, fruity fragrance bursts into the air. Salted caramel buttercream and coconut-flavored sprinkles twinkle under the bright artificial light. Yes, he's indeed very talented in what he does. He himself can barely resist the ripe golden cakes. He can already envision the greed and eagerness in Stephanie Plum's eyes. He can already see the look of bliss on Stephanie Plum's face. It's the memories of her childhood. It's the taste of her mother's love. She will want to eat them up, all 13 of them. But she will choke on the very first pineapple upside-down cupcake. She will choke on the very first bite. She will die with a contorted face and bulging eyes. She will die all alone. He will stand there watching and laugh. And his Mistress will be very, very pleased—

The hairy blonde magical man whips around as something goldish barges through the door. His cold unblinking eyes widen a fraction as the big furry dog lets out a bark and shows its teeth. He never likes dogs. They drool. They smell. They see him as what he really is. He reaches for the custom made extra sharp baker's knife and licks his lips. He can still smell the blood of his youngest slave on the blade. The orange dog growls and starts to drool. There's something wrong with this beast. Today  _The Old Cupcake Place_  is closed. He has sent all his slaves back to the mansion and he knows he has locked the door. No one but himself can get past the spell. What is this creature? It looks and feels like a normal dog, but he can sense the small differences. And he can detect a slight trace of magic.

Northman stares straight into the big dog's eyes. He sees the longings, the lusts, and the desires. He sees the deep confusions. He sees the raging emotions. He sees the bubbling hunger. He sees the well-hidden fear. He sees the dog's name and the dog's past. He also sees the blurry human face and almost hears the silent screams. He smiles and tightens his grip on the enchanted knife. Tries as he might he can't see through the magic cast on this creature. But he can have some fun while waiting for the faceless enemy to show up. He'll even put the creature out of its misery if he's in the mood for charity.

"Here, here, doggie." The magical man takes a step forward and coos. The dog crouches low, lets out a deep threatening growl and suddenly pounces. The blonde giant jumps forward and with lightning speed swings the knife in his hand. He misses his target as the dog ducks past him. Blind fury clouds Northman's mind. He emits a furious roar as the dog knocks the tray of perfectly baked cupcakes off the table and wolfs them down. All 13 of them. In less than 39 seconds. The overhead lights in the kitchen suddenly darken. The cracks on the inner wall of the red-eyed sorceress's castle grow deeper and the outer wall starts to crumble. The Wicked Witch of the Forever Waste Land wakes up from her slumber and screams.

Stephanie Manoso drops the whole wheat bagel in her hand, clutches at her chest, falls to the floor, and stops breathing.


	18. Doom

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Doom**

Connie panics. Lula screams. Vincent Plum rushes out of his office and turns pale. Stephanie lies there on the floor with her mouth closed and her eyes slightly open. The diamond wedding ring around her finger catches a ray of light and starts sparkling. She isn't breathing. The sun in the sky is very very bright. The small bonds office is very very quiet. Vincent Plum kneels down by his cousin and checks her pulse. Lula clamps a hand over her mouth and bursts into tears. Connie calms down enough to remember to reach for the phone and call 911. The oldest Guardian closes his clear green eyes, and spreads his long slender arms.

Time stops.

Stephanie looks around her and blinks. What happened? The taste of the whole wheat bagel lingers on her tongue. She has just learned to appreciate its natural sweetness and chewy texture. Why is she all alone on this beach? The sands under her bare feet are white and soft. The sky above is clear and bright. The sound of the invisible ocean is enchanting. Where is this place? Why is she here? Why is her chest hurting? Why is she feeling nausea? What's wrong with her? She hears the silent footsteps and turns around. The small child standing in front of her has Ranger's eyes. Stephanie feels happy and sad at the same time. The child reaches out a hand toward her. She falls in love with his quiet beautiful smile, and takes hold of the boy's hand. Warmth surges through her body. The little boy looks into her eyes and slowly morphs into a little girl. Stephanie recognizes the girl. She recognizes pink ribbon in the girl's wild curly hair. She recognizes the girl's pink lace dress. She recognizes the girl's curious blue eyes. It's the day she followed Joe into his father's dark hot garage.

Tears fall down Stephanie's face. All of a sudden she remembers all the hurt and unhappy memories. All of a sudden she recalls all her regrets, remorse, and mistakes. She constantly doubted herself. She fled to the Land of Denial because she couldn't handle the truth. Yes, she's happy now, but in a dark corner of her heart she still has fears and doubts. She's afraid that she will never ever be good enough. She's afraid that one day Ranger will have a change of heart. She's afraid that everything will change as time goes by. And now all her worries and fears are choking her. She falls to her knees and lets out a sob. The 8-years-old Stephanie holds on to her hand and doesn't make a sound. Around them the world changes. The light dims as a full golden moon comes out from behind the sudden clouds. With her free hand the little girl wipes away Stephanie's tears and smiles.

Stephanie begins to cough. She lets go of the girl's hand and clutches at her throat. Her stomach feels like a ball of fire. Her lungs hurt. Her head hurts. Her whole body hurts and every cell screams. She coughs and coughs and coughs and coughs. She needs to puke up something but that something refuses to let go and brutally resists. The pain is too much to bare. Stephanie knows she can't quit. She looks up and sees the changing light in the child's eyes. Blue as sky. Green as grass. Yellow as daisy. Pink as cotton candy. Dark as night. She sees herself in the beautiful custom-made wedding dress. She sees Ranger in her own wide happy eyes. With all her strength Stephanie coughs up something small and round. In a stylish wrapper. With soft creamy frosting and colorful sprinkles on top. The beautiful airy fluffy cupcake explodes into a ball of blood-red fire.

A part of the Wicked Witch dies forever.


	19. Gloom

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Gloom**

Something changes inside the big orange dog. Its eyes become wider and fiercer. Its deep thundering growl is full of menace. Its physical existence shimmers in the darkness and the magical man catches a glimpse of a man on all fours. Ah, so Stephanie Plum has magical help and protection. The spell within the cupcakes was meant for her and her alone. It's basically harmless to others. But sometimes extremely different magical powers do clash with each other, and the side effects are remarkably dangerous. The tall blonde magical man takes a step closer. The enchanted knife in his hand grows sharper. He will end this creature's life before it causes any more problems. He's very good at slowly killing lives. He takes great pleasure in prolonging pain. But this time, he will have to make an exception.

The dog's furry outline changes. Its body morphs in amazing speed. It no longer looks like a dog. It doesn't look like a man, either. It looks like something in between. It looks like something powerful, ugly, violent, and dangerous. It stands on its hind legs, its front paws now two large claws. "Cupcake...Cupcake...More! More! More!" It drools and growls and launches forward. The knife in the magical man's hand rises and falls. The following silence is louder than any noise imaginable.

The red-eyed sorceress drops to the floor. Something has gone terribly wrong. She can feel the walls of the Dark Castle crumbling off. She closes her eyes and reaches deep down within herself. She calls out for her two formidable servants. Tries as she might, the rebellious one doesn't answer, and she can't get through to the loyal one. The sudden emptiness scares her. The gaping hole inside her soul grows larger. She recalls the days when she was still a young witch. She wanted to be famous and successful, like anyone else. She craved power. She wanted to be stronger than strong. She learned how to please the crowd. She learned how to dispose of her enemies without being noticed. Now she's the only Witch left. And she's this close, this close to her goal.

The sorceress struggles to her feet and screams as a sudden shearing pain grasps hold of her. No, she's not going to give in. She's going to get rid of all the obstacles. She's going to sit on the throne. She's going to wed herself to the Wizard's heir. She's going to absorb his power though their bonding kiss. She's going to get wipe out all the silly impractical romantic notions once and for all. She will destroy True Love. She herself planted the seeds of doubt deep inside Stephanie Plum the day the cursed woman was born. She personally tainted Stephanie Plum's curiosity with stubbornness and stupidity and fear. She had everything planned the day she saw the future in the now shattered ancient crystal mirror. It didn't take much effort for her to shape Joe Morelli the way she wanted him to be. She gifted him with charisma and extra charm. She made him irresistible. She made him especially for Stephanie. Things went smoothly as planned, until the day something woke up in Stephanie Plum's heart and everything changed...

The sorceress smiles her cold scary smile. She's no stranger to pain and sorrow. She is, in fact, the reason of unnecessary pain and needless sorrow. She thrives amid chaos and unhappy endings. She thrives when hearts break and tears fall. To Hell with her failed curses, crumbling castle, and imbecile servants. She is the Wicked Witch of the Forever Waste Land. She's sly, creative, cunning, and cruel. She will have what she wants. For she still has one last chance left.

And she will kill Stephanie Plum.

 


	20. Flame

**Chapter Twenty**

**Flame**

The different layers of realities clash with each other. The power of dark magic and the power of obsessive lust entwine and explode as they try to devour and engulf each other. The sharp enchanted knife in William "D" Northman's hand drops to the floor. The mixture of dog and man growls and barks and whines as the taste of the magical man's wrist turns sour in its mouth. The blonde giant howls in pain. A savage naked Joe Morelli holds on tight and bites down hard. Like a cloud of powdered sugar, the sweet warm scent of cinnamon and butterscotch burst out. Like a nest of twitching squirming vipers, magic leaks out. The two hairy men fight on like a pair of Roman gladiators and become weaker and weaker as time ticks by. Northman breathes out a half-choked snarl. Morelli's chocolate brown eyes turn into all kind of bright shining colors. Around them hundreds and hundreds of cheerful soft fluffy moist cupcakes pop into existence. Colorful sprinkles dance in the air as realization dawns and both men's frustration deepens.

One of them has to die in this modern spacious kitchen. The survivor can walk away but will be forever crippled. They are basically two of a kind. They are both good at playing cute little tricks. They're both true and loyal to their desires. They are both after the same woman but for very different reasons. One of them will die. The other will never be the same. Everything shall change. The powerful curse woven inside the 13 pineapple upside-down cupcakes uncurls and melts as it encounters the deeply rooted family curse. The secret code hidden in the gene awakes and roars. The memories of generations of Morelli men surge through Joe Morelli's mind. Powerful husbands. Strict fathers. Proud providers. Brave protectors. Dutiful owners. Wise rulers. Submissive children. Obedient wives. Gamblers. Drunkards. Cheaters. Liars. Liars. Liars!

Joe Morelli screams in fury. William "D" Northman struggles to free himself from the fatal choke-hold. One by one the beautiful cupcakes burst into flames. Very very slowly the magical man's lost enchanted knife withers and turns into dust. Disbelief and shock fill the blonde man's eyes. He struggles harder to no avail. Death, he suddenly realizes, is the reason why his willful arrogant younger half-brother has been ignoring his calls. Someone, something, has killed Erich without alerting him. They had a special bond between them but alas they were not twins. Somehow, somewhere, his only blood relative has ceased to exist. And he doesn't even have enough strength left to warn his beloved Mistress. Their plan has been thwarted. All these years' efforts wasted. Her hopes. Her dreams. Her ambitions. Her wishes. His Great Sorceress. The red-eyed sorceress. And the cave on top of the Swiss mountain. The youthful bodies of his young obedient slaves. The taste of regrets makes him mad. With his final power he reaches for Joe Morelli's heart and gives it a twist.

The two hairy men collapse at the same moment. Dark merciless fire rises from the large industrial ovens. Heavy black smoke swallows the whole building. The dead body begins to dissolve. A huge smug-looking black sheep materializes in thin air beside the survivor and then breathes air into his nostrils.

Detective Joe Morelli wakes up on the floor in the locker room of the police station. Time unfreezes. Stephanie Manoso is still not breathing.


	21. Wizards And Witches

**Chapter Twenty-One  
**

**Wizards And Witches**

Something grabs at Ranger's heart. The plain platinum wedding ring tightens around his ring finger, sending a thrill through his veins. He hits the brake and turns the 911 Turbo sharply around. He steps hard on the gas and focuses on the road ahead. Once again he feels the familiar fear. No. He is not going to lose Stephanie. He always find her. He will get her out of trouble. He will save her. He always did. He always will. This time is no exception. He knows what he's capable of. He will pay whatever price it costs.

Time swirls by him like thickened syrup. The world outside his Porsche stands still. The traffic lights never change. Pedestrians and cars freeze in mid-motion. He pays them no attention. He can hear his own heart beating. He can see every possibility. He can feels his brain calculating. All the weird and bizarre incidents. All the freak accidents. All the danger. All the risks. Troubles can always find Stephanie. He needs no trackers. He knows where his wife is. He always knows what she needs. The shining black car bursts through the bubbles of time and cuts through layers and layers of realities like a pure gold bullet. The texture of magic shines bright like a thousand suns when the elegant vehicle stops in front of the bonds office. Time unfreezes as the great grandchild of the Wizard pushes open the door to find his bride lying on the floor. He knows she isn't breathing. He kneels down beside her, cups her face with both hands, and gently kisses her on her lips.

The red-eyed sorceress screams as their lips meet.


	22. Fade

**Chapter Twenty-Two  
**

**Fade**

The red-eyed sorceress looks down at her chest and her cold lump of a dead heart gazes back at her. The walls of her forbidden castle fall and fade like dust, and the bottomless gaping hole in the very middle of her being grows larger and larger. Suddenly the sorceress remembers the little rural cottage village where she was born. She was once a brilliant little girl who had dreams and hopes. She loved adventures. She loved to laugh. Then darkness came. She grew up, and chose her path. She's never perfect. She's just lucky. She's never wise. She's just smart. So smart. Too smart. And too ambitious.

She chose the easier path.

She soon learned to mess with Fate. She soon learned to toy with hearts. She laughed when tears fell. She rejoiced when hearts broke. She learned to be cruel. She despised love. She danced and giggled a whole night when all the great Witches were gone. She was extremely glad that she knew how to survive the burning fire. They all passed on to the LIGHT. Now she's the only one left. And she hates it when things do not go as planned. NO. NO. NO. This is not how the story shall end. She can still win this game. She still has one last chance left.

The Wicked Witch of the Forever Waste Land extends a clawed hand toward her non-beating heart. The final link between she and Stephanie Plum is buried deep under the blackened crust. Once the thin line is snapped, the cursed woman will immediately die. And she can use the chaos that follows to unwrite the ending and start another reality. And in the brand new story, she herself will be the pretty, brilliant, clever princess. She will devour all the hidden magic within Carlos Manoso on the night of their wedding. She will have all the Wizard's power. She will rewrite all the endings. She will create angst and clichés. She will mold the world as she sees fit.

The sorceress reaches deeper and deeper. The tips of her sharp poisoned claws slash through her memories. She trembles and groans as little by little tiny fragments of the meaning of her existence burns and melts away. She shrieks with joy when she senses the invisible line. She gives a gasping laugh as she cuts the line in two. She withdraws her hand and waits impatiently for the universe to blur. But nothing happens. She closes her eyes and tries, again and again, to reach out to Stephanie Plum's mind.

She fails.

The red-eyed witch frowns in fury and confusion. She never realizes how much power she has lost. She calls out for the pair of her most trusted and most powerful servants. They do not answer. All she feels is the cold dark emptiness. All she hears is the grey silent void. She looks down as her extravagant dress morphs into rags. She turns her head at the non-existing sound and finally sees the Guardian, the fearless keeper of everlasting promises and tokens, the brave warrior that moves like fire and water, the beautiful magical creature that is both young and old. And even before she feels the Guardian's golden blade and bursts into a zillion of grayish green gooey dust, the Wicked Witch of the Forever Waste Land knows her fate is sealed.

And her world is no more.


	23. Stars

**Chapter Twenty-Three  
**

**Stars**

Stephanie tries hard to catch her breath. The cupcake left a foul taste in her mouth. She looks up and finds she's all alone on the moonlit beach. The little girl, her 6-year-old self, is gone. Stephanie stands up and places a hand over her beating heart. Moonlight shines down upon her as she listens to the quiet song of the invisible waves. She wants to sing and dance even if she knows she sucks at singing and dancing. She wants to do things she's never tried. She feels different. She feels happy, curious, and braver. She feels...lighter. She feels...alive. She turns her head as she hears the silent footsteps.

The tall European man with straight black hair has Ranger's eyes. The beautiful African women in a simple white dress has Ranger's smile. The world around Stephanie blurs. She sees snowy mountains and green green trees. She sees blazing sun and deep blue sea. She smells spring forest and fragrant spices. She hears music and laughter and languages she doesn't understand. She watches the man and woman grow older and older. She reaches out her hands and stares in awe at the small music box the old man gave her. She feels sad as the old couple smile at her and slowly disappear. She remembers seeing the old picture in Ranger's family's photo album. The young German who sailed across the sea and married the granddaughter of a former slave. Ranger's great-grandparents.

The golden moon explodes into a million shooting stars. Stephanie blinks and looks into Ranger's eyes. She can still feel the touch of his lips. The warmth of his hands makes her want to purr. Somewhere out there in the universe Connie exhales a huge sigh of relief as Lula bursts into another fit of tears. Vincent Plum retreats back into his office and quietly closes the door as his cousin and her husband engage in another kiss. He doesn't have a drop of magic in his blood, but he can easily sense the difference. All's well that ends well. The looming evil is no more. He doesn't care if Joe Morelli will spend the rest of his life as a grumpy dog. He's glad he was able to help.

He totally deserves a vacation.


	24. Faithful Moon

**Chapter Twenty-Four  
**

**Faithful Moon**

A good Samaritan found a big orange unconscious dog by the side of a deserted road and rushed the poor animal to a nearby vet clinic. The vet did a scan, found the chip, and called the owner. The dog woke up, drank a lot of water, spent the night in the hospital for observation, and went home the next day. The tall, lean and smart-looking vet smiled politely as the weeping old woman wrapped her thin arms around the happy, panting dog. The black sheep in the painting on the wall of the waiting area rolled its eyes and kept on chewing the green green grass. Vincent Plum and his wife went on a second honeymoon in the Caribbeans. Detective Joe Morelli woke up on the floor all alone inside in the locker room of the police station. He blinked, slowly stood up, and went back to his desk. An hour later, he sent in his resignation, collected his things, and left the building.

Nobody in Trenton remembers  _The Old Cupcake Place._  The old bookstore stays where it used to be, and once or twice a week Giuseppe Marcello will meet Bella Morelli in the park. They will sit down on a bench and talk about their kids, grandchildren, and pets. Sometimes they will share a large piece of cheesecake. Sometimes they will share a box of cannolis. Marcello's children know their father still misses their mother and are glad he has company. Angie Morelli has never seen her mother-in-law this happy. The 21 young men and women found outside a forsaken mansion are released from the hospitals and reunited with their families. None of them remember what happened.

The Guardians return to the Magic World. The Sentry resumes his position between the real, the surreal, and the unreal. The Magical Beings carry on with their duties, and keep waiting for the child to arrive. One day Joe Morelli will walk into a store, buy a Powerball ticket, win the jackpot, donate all the money to no-kill animal shelters, and work as a volunteer. One day Bob the Dog will stop chasing butterflies and squirrels, and fall in love with the cute black pug living just across the street from his home. One day Julie Martine will grow up, go away to college and grad school, adopt an old black cat, and become a famous writer. And on the day Stephanie Manoso wakes up from a beautiful familiar dream she can't remember, She will find herself pregnant.

And when Ranger looks up from the pregnancy test into Stephanie's panicking eyes, he knows it's a boy.

**~The End~**


	25. Epilogue

**~Epilogue~**

**Somewhere in Time...**

He wakes up from his nap. He sniffs the air and yawns and drools a little. He feels happy. He wiggles his tail. Tomorrow Grandma will take him to the park. He hopes Grandpa Marcello will bring apple crumbles. He loves apple crumbles. He loves Susie, the beautiful black pug living across the street. He doesn't like cupcakes any more. The last time Mom fed him a cupcake, he threw up and puked all over the floor. He sometimes dreams of the scary blonde man. He sometimes dreams of a cunning black sheep, and a lazy black and white cat. The cat is huge and scary, too. When he wakes up from this dreams, he sometimes feels nauseous. He will then walk up to Grandma, rest his head on her lap, and whine. Grandma will sing a song to him and hug him tight. He feels safe as he senses her warm happiness. He sometimes thinks of strange weird things. He sometimes remembers the days when he walked on two feet and spoke human language. He sometimes thinks of a tall dark man and a blue-eyed woman. He always shakes his head and chases the thoughts out of his head. He doesn't like feeling dizzy. He doesn't like feeling confused. He's a happy dog. He sleeps on Grandma's bed. He loves Mom's pasta. The kids love him and he loves them back. He loves it when Miss Hasting, Susie's Mama, let them play together in the park every Sunday for half an hour. He's a Morelli. He's a happy dog. He is loved and cherished. He's never afraid. He's never lonely.

And that's more than enough.


End file.
